Imprinter



Jam 29, 1957 J. T. DAVIDSON 2,779,272

IMPRINTER Filed Dec. 6, 1952 INVENTOR.

JOHN T, DAVIDSON ATTORNEY United States Patent IMPRINTER John T. Davidson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 6, 1952, Serial No. 324,507

Claims. (Cl. 101-378) This invention relates to roll imprinters, particularly as used in the imprinting of series connected record forms. In such imprinters a continuous record strip is passed through an imprinting machine which includes a rotating printing cylinder. The cylinder carries imprinting means,

which may be type, electroplates or rubber mats and makes an impression on each successive record for in a predetermined location thereon. It may be desirable to make different or the same impression in different places on the same form, and it may still further be desirable to effect different kinds of printing on the same form. A cylinder must be constructed and arranged to present the proper combination of printing devices required by a particular printing job.

In switching from one printing job to another, one printing cylinder may be substituted for another, as in the prior art. For obvious reasons this is generally unsatisfactory, and may be altogether impracticable in installations where the work requires many different combinations of printing devices.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construc- ,tion as well as the means and mode of operation of ima generally new printing cylinder, especially characterized by interchangeability of the printing devices thereon thus making unnecessary the substitution of one cylinder for another in changing from one printing jobto another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a universal mounting in a printing cylinder for different kinds of printing devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting in a printing cylinder for printing devices, utilizing universal adapter elements variably adjustable in the cylinder and individually replaceable therein. Still another object of the invention is to provide clamping and locating-means for the printing devices, similarl capable of individual installation and removal.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a means for rapid and simple rearrangement of the print'ng cylinder of a roll imprinter to achieve any desired combination of printing impressions, and any desired combination of printing devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide an imprinter roll possessing the advantageous structural featines, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode oif .op.eration herein mentioned. I r ""With the above primary and otherinciden'tal objects ICE in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and com binations thereof, and the mode of operation, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is found the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of a printing cylinder in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken substan tially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View in cross section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a clamp device used in the printing cylinder;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view in perspective of another clamp device used in the printing cylinder;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an adapter element'as used in the printing cylinder showing one kind of printing device thereon;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the element of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, in perspective and partly broken away, of the printing cylinder;

Fig. 9 is an end View of a modified form of cylinder; and

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 9, showing a further modification of the cylinder.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, a printing cylinder 11 of a roll imprinter is shown in Fig. 1. A gear 12 on one end of the cylinder provides a means for connecting the cylinder to a suitable power source to provide rotary motion thereto.

According to the illustrative embodiment of the invention the cylinder is formed with a surface slot 13 running from end to end of the cylinder. Such slot provides a mounting for the printing devices, which for illustrative purposes comprise a combination of a type chase 14, an electroplate 15 and a rubber mat 16.

The several elements 14, 15 and 16 are superimposed on and made fast to individual adapter elements 17, which, while they may vary according to the kind of printing device carried thereon, will herebe consIdered as identical. Thus each adapter element conforms substantially in cross section to the dimensions of the slot 13 and is received in the slot, the upper surface of the element being curved to complement the curvature of the-cylinder. Projecting from opposite sides of the adapterelement, or from the front and rear thereof are integral lugs or key portions 18, while formed in the ends of the element are grooves 19 (see Figs. 2 and 6),. j

At the bottom thereof, the slot 13 is undercutalon'g the opposite side walls'thereof to define a keyway or slideway 21 which is continuous over "the length 0f the slot. The slideway 21 receives the key portions-'18 whereby to provide a sliding mounting for the adapter element 17 in the slot 13 while preventing its withdrawal therefrom in a radial direction. At spaced apart points along the length of the slot 13 are diametrically opposed pairs of vertical cut cuts or recesses 22 communicating with the slideways 21. Thus in installing and removing the adapter elements they may be successively inserted in and withdrawn from the slot 13 by way of the open end thereof, or they may be individually installed and removed using the vertical recesses 22. It will be under- 'stood'that"such recesses are of a size to accommodate the key portions 18.

The adapter elements 17 are selectively located along the length of the slot 13 by sliding movement on the slideway 21. They are releasably held in a selected location by clamp devices 23 and 24 mounted in the slot 13 in cooperative relation with the ends of the adapter elements.

h de e 23. shown n Fig- 5, s o two Pa t .con- Q tru' t o e d p of mat g .Irc ta 'a afp cce 2 5 and 26 whichlie crosswise the slot 13, that is with their ends abutting or adjacent to the side walls of the slot. The piece 26 is longe'rthan' thepiece 25 to produce in effect a bi 27 received in the sl idewayll. The piece 25 has a laterally projecting tip or flange 28 on its one s de ed e cons u ted and ar an d t nte t groove 19 in the adapted elements 17. The upper face of the piece 26 has a boss 29 arranged to enter a' transverse slot 31 in e und rw i en f pi '2 "R r n p n s 32 and 33 extend through the slot 31"an'd 'boss 29, respectively. The opening 33 is threaded to receive the shank of an adjustment screw 34, andthe opening 32 is countersunk to receive the head of such screw. It will be understood that by turning the screw 34 in a direction to drive it into the opening 33, with the head of the screw seated in the opening32, opposing reactant forces are generated which ten-d to squeeze the pieces 25 and 26 together.

The clamp device 24 is like the device 23, and so cornprises mating pieces 35 and 36, the latter having a lug 3710 fit in the slideway 21, and further comprises an adjustment screw 38 corresponding to the screw 34. In fact the device 24 is identical to the device 23 except that it is adapted for cooperation with adjacent ends of an adjoining pair of elements 17 ratherthan with only one element. It has, therefore a diametrically opposed pair of flanges or lips 39 corresponding to the single lip 28 of device 23.

In both clamp devices 23 and 24 the lugs 27 and 37 are of a size to pass through the vertical recesses 22.

, Hence, the clamps 23 and 24 may be individually installed in and removed from the slot 13 in the same manner as the elements 17.

' As indicated in Fig. 1 the clamps 23 and 24 and the adapter elements 17 are mounted in the slot 13 in alternating relation with a pair of clamps 23 or a clamp 23 and a clamp 24 in embracing relation to each element 17. When the elements 17 are properly located the clamps 23--24 are moved against the ends thereof with the lips 28 or' 39 entering respective grooves 19. The screws 34 and 38 are then turned downward with the result that the lug 27 or 37 is pressed against the upper wall of slideway 21 and the lips 28 or 39 are pressed downward against iower wall of grooves 19. The parts are accordingly frictionally held against motion relatively to the cylinder 11. Figs. 9*and '10 show modified forms of' printing cylinders which are the same as the cylinder 11 except that the slot 13 of the cylinder 11' is repeated one or more times in "the circumference of the modified cylinder. Thus in Fig. 9, a cylinder 41 has two slots 42. In Fig. 10, a cylinder 43 has three slots 44.

The cylinders 41 and 43 might be used as auxiliary or supplemental cylinders, to be substituted for the cylinder 11 when the work requires printing in multiple spaces of the same form or when the length of the forms is reduced. 1 the lat er ested for amp e, he c d 1 mi P l stlft itlt t a ten i ch o m i Which s the cylinder 41 could imprint two successive five inch forms and the cylinder 43 could imprint three successive forms of three and one third inch length.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is'thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of' advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its'form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into etfect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A roll imprinter, including a cylinder, a longitudinal slot in said cylindeiisaid .slot being undercut at the bottom thereof to define a slideway, longitudinally spaced apart vertical recesses in the side walls of said slot communicating with said slideway, adapter elements mounting selected types of imprinting means received in and seated on the bottom of said slot, key portions on said elements received in said slideway, said key portions being of'a si'zeto pass through said vertical recesses for individual installation and removal of said adapter elements, and clamp means similarly individually installed in and removed from said slot interlocking ly engaged with the ends of said adapter elements for clamping said adapter elements against the bottom of said slot in selected positions of adjustment longitudinally"o f said slot.

2 A roll imprinter, including a cylinder, a longitudinal slot in said cylinder, said slot being undercut to define a slideway, longitudinally spaced apart vertical recesses inthe side walls of said slot communicating with said slideway, adapter elements mounting selected types of imprinting means received in and'seated on the bottom of'isaid slot, key portions on said elements received in said slideway, said key portions being of a size to pass through said vertical recesses for individual installation and removal of said adapter elements, and clamp devices located at the ends of said adapter elements in said slot, each of said clamp devices having a first part operatively'engaged in said slideway, another part interlockingly engaged with an adjacent one of said adapter elements, and means interconnecting said parts and adjustable to apply a clamping pressure to said adapter elements for clamping said elements against the bottom of said slot.

' 3. A roll imprinter according to claim 2, characterized in that the first said part has a portion received in said vertical recesses for individual installation and removal of said clamp devices.

4. A roll imprinter, including a cylinder having an elongated slot in the surface thereof, an adapter element mounted in and seated on the bottom of said slot, said element carryinga selected type of printing means, coacting key'and keyway portions on said slot and adapter element, and clamp devices mounted in said slot at the ends of said adapter element for clamping said adapter element against'the bottom of said slot, each of said clamping devices including'a first part having a keyed engagement in'said slot and a second part having a keyed engagement with said adapter, and means for effecting a'relative motion of said clamp parts to frictionally hold said adapter element in a selected location in said slot.

'5. A roll imprinter, including a cylinder, a slot in the surface of said cylinder extending from end to end, said sl'ot being undercut at the bottom thereof defining keyway means, longitudinally spaced apart'recess'esinthe side wallsof said slot, and imp'rinting devices disposed in'and seated on the 'bottomof said slot, said devices having key'portions of a size to interfit with said keyway means, and to pass through said recesses,'said devices being selectively installed in and removed from said slot either by longitudinal motion of said key portions through the ends of said slotsor by radial motion through said recesses, and damping devices received in' said slot in alternating relation to said imprinting'deviees' in i tlt q nslx e age w th h e here f or fl lan l ing said imprinting devices against the bottom of said slot in selected positions of adjustment longitudinally of said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,214 Balze Dec. 27, 1904 811,776 Koehler Feb. 6, 1906 1,095,522 Rietzke May 5, 1914 1,123,055 Wood Dec. 29, 1914 1,762,302 Little June 10, 1930 1,801,507 Jorgensen Apr. 21, 1931 6 Lamatsch Aug. 4, 1936 Fuller a- May 11, 1937 Roesner Feb. 9, 1943 Lacure Aug. 30, 1949 Iorgensen Dec. 13, 1949 Dietrich Feb. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Feb. 7, 1935 Australia June 8, 1939 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1933 France Ian. 7, 1929 

